Application of Fermentation Technology to Use Slaughterhouse Blood as Potential Protein Supplement in Fish Feed

Slaughterhouse Blood (SHB) is a rich source of protein, but it requires a suitable processing before its use as an ingredient in animal feed formulations. In this study, SHB was fermented using whey or pure culture of Lactobacillus acidophilus as the fermentation inoculums. Mixtures of SHB, fermentation inoculums and molasses were incubated at 35°C and microbiological and biochemical changes were determined every day until the end of fermentation. The results revealed that the fermentation of SHB by both the inoculums required 4 days to complete. The harmful microorganisms were removed or reduced to a negligible level after fermentation. Both the fermented products were also aerobically stable. Protein, lipid and essential amino acid contents of SHB were almost completely recovered after fermentation. The L. acidophilus fermented SHB (LFSHB) exhibited a better microbiological quality than the whey fermented SHB (WFSHB), while WFSHB exhibited a higher amount of free amino acid than the LFSHB. The present study concludes that fermentation is an appropriate technique to convert SHB into a nutritionally sound and microbiologically safe ingredient for the use in fish feed formulation. Whey can be used as an easily available and cost effective inoculum to carry out the fermentation.